Shell and cap for electric light sockets



May 17, 1932. F. SLADY 1,858,377

SHELL AND CAP FOR ELECTRIC LIGHT SOCKETS ,Filed June 26 1925 ATTORNEYS Patented May 17, 1932 UNITED STATES.

PATENT. OFFICE FRANK SLADY, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO LEVITON MANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK, A OOIPARTNERSHIP CONSISTING OF ISIDOR 1 LEVITON AND EVSER LEVI'ION SHELL AND CAP FOR ELECTRIC LIGHT $OCKE'I'S Application filed June 26, 1325. Serial No. 39,637.

This invention relates to a metallic shell and cap for enclosing an electric light socket.

It relates more particularly to a shell and cap of this sort, in which metal is struck outfrom one of said members to permit these members to be telescoped one into the other and to prevent accidental withdrawal and also to prevent relative rotation between these members, while at the same time permitting the same to be easily manipulated for the purpose of separating the two members.

The invention will be understood from the description in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the cap; Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the shell; Fig. 3 is an enlarged detail showing a portion of the shell; Fig.

4 is a section along the line 44 of Fig. 3 and 29 Fig. 5 is a section along the line 55 of Fig.

3. Fig. 6 is an enlarged view showing a modification.

In the drawings, reference character 10 indicates a metal cap for an electric light socket shell which is provided with rectangular openings 11, made by cutting out the metal along the rim of the cap. The shell 12 .is provided with the usual switch slot 13, which slot also permits the walls of the shell to be sprung inwardly when desired. The shell 12 is provided near its upper end with projections that are made by slitting the shell horizontally or circumferentially along the line 14, and also slitting the shell along the line 15 at an acute angle to the line 14, so that the end of the slits 14 and 15 terminate in a point, thus making a V-shaped notch or slit. The metal 16 of this V-shaped notch or slit is bent outwardly and the corner is then bent inwardly to a radial line to form a shoulder 17 with a rounded edge 18, the walls of the metal constituting the shoulder 17 lying in a radial plane, which is parallel with and passes through the central axis of the shell. The lower edge 19 of the metal 16 serves to prevent the shell and cap from being accidentally separated after they have beenassembled, and the shoulder 17 prevents relative rotation between the cap and shell in one direction. It will be noticed that the point of the V-shaped metal 16 is bent inwardly to a radial line, as shown at 20 in Figs. 4 and 5, so that this point is flush with theinner wall of the shell 12, thus leaving an open space 21 between the wall 17 andthe slit 15. A similarslot and struck out metalis made at another portion of the shell 12 in the same horizontal plane, as indicated at 16', but with the shoulder 17 directed in the opposite direction so as to prevent relative rotation between the shell and cap in the other direction. Instead of having the two shoulders 17 and 17 180 degrees apart, as indicated in Fig. 2, these shoulders maybe made closer together and any convenient number of the same may be provided. Instead of having the openings 11 inthe cap and the projections 16'on the shell, these may be reversed,

thus having the openings in the shell and the.

projections extending inwardly on the cap.

7 In the modification shown in Fig. 6, instead of having the shell slit along horizontal lines, shown at 14 in other figures, the'shell is slit along two lines 22 and 23 that are.

approximately horizontal, but make an angle with each other, as shown at24. The shell is .also slit along the line 26, which line merges into the line 23 along the curvedline 25 to leave a rounded corner. The'fshell is also. slit along the line 27 which makes an angle with the line 26. The tongue of metal is then bent outwardly and its edge is'turned inwardly to. form the wall 30, similar to'the wall 17 in the other modification, this wall 30 having a rounded edge 31 that extends from the lower edge 28 of the extension 32 in a sloping direction to the wall of the shell itself. The rounded'corner 29 which came out from the curved portion 25 rests'on the outside of the shell against the triangular portion 24, sothat the tongue 32 will be prevented from being pushed inwardly when the shell is inserted into a cap.

' The operation is as follows: When itis intended to insert the shell in the cap, it is only necessary to press the two together, whereupon the sloping edges 18 (or '31) of the metal or projections 16 (or 32) operating as cams cause the shell to spring inwardly as these edges ride along. the inner surface of the cap, until the projections reach the holes 11, whereupon they will snap outwardly into position the abrupt edges 19 (or 28) preventing separation of the members and the radially disposed portions or wallsl7 (or 30) preventing relative rotationbetween the cap and shell. It will be observed that no sharp corners will be exposed whereby the user might be injured, as the corner 20 (or 29) is turned inwardly and the extreme projection of the edge 19 (or 28) will be very little,

if any, greater than the thickness of the rim of the shell 11, so that this edge will not project much, if any, outside ofthe shell atvany point. There are no sharp edges or corners exposed upon which objects mightcatch.

1. In an electric light fixture, a cap having openings therein, a shell slit along lines at an acuteangle to each other, the metal adjacent said slits being bent to forln an extension to project into one of said openings when said cap is placed on said shell, the metal of said extension being bent backwards.

f2. In an electric light fixture, a telescoping cap and shell, one of said members being provided with a circumferential series of openings and the other'one being slit along lines at an acute angle to-each other and bent to form extensions to project intosaid open- .ings when said cap and shell are assembled,

the metal .ofsaid extension being bent backwards. V 3. In an electric light fixture, a telescoping cap and shell, ,one'of said members being provided with a circumferential series of openings and the otherone being slit along lines at an acute angle to each other to form extensions to project intoIsaid openings when said cap and shell are assembled, at least one of said lines being horizontal, and a portion cap and shell, one of said members being provided with a circumferential series of openings and the other one being slit along lines at an acute angle to each other to form extensions toprojectinto said openings when said cap and shell are assembled, the corners of said extensions resting against the side of said member.

7. Inani electric light fixture, acap having openings therein, a shell slit along lines at an acute angle-to each other, the metal-adjacent said slits being bent to form an extension to-project into one of said openings when said cap is placed onsaid shell, the corner of said extension resting against said shell and the edge of said extension -resting against the edge of an o ening. V

, V P 'FRANK SLADY.

ofthe wall of each of said extensions being at right angles to the surface of said member.

4. In an electric light fixture, a telescoping cap and shell, one of said members being provided with a' circumferential series of openingsiand the other one beingslit along I lines at an acute angle to each other to form extensions to project into said openings .when said cap and shell are assembled, at vleast one of said lines being approximately horizontal, a portion of the wall of each of said extensions being at right angles 'to the surface of said member, and another portion of said wall lying in a plane at an acute angle to theaxial vdirection of said member.

5. In an electric light fixture, a cap having openings therein, a shell slit along lines at an acute angle to each other, the metal adj acent said slits being bent to form an extension to project into one of said openings when said cap is placed on said shell, the corner of said extension resting against said shell.

6. In an electric light fixture, a-telescoping 

